Bill Colwell Ford has been serving the Cedar Valley and the surrounding areas for the past 33 years. Located in Hudson, Bill Colwell Ford, wants to thank all their loyal customers for voting their dealership the Cedar Valley’s No. 1 overall dealership to do business with. Their goal is to make sure that they make the buying process and ownership experience simple, stress-free, and non-confrontational for each of their customers and the reward is their customer’s loyalty.
Bill Colwell Ford is a family owned and operated dealership with Bill Colwell, Owner, and his son, Blake Colwell, General Manager. The automotive industry runs deep in the Colwell blood line starting when Bill Colwell Sr. opened his first used car store in Mt. Morris, IL in 1960. The Colwell family eventually moved to the Cedar Valley where Bill Colwell Sr. and Bill Colwell Jr. established Bill Colwell’s Auto Mart in Waterloo in 1975. In 1984, Bill Colwell Jr. bought the Ford franchise from Keith Motor Company and opened Bill Colwell Ford.
In the past 33 years the corner of Highway 63 and Waterloo Road in Hudson has changed quite a bit. Bill knew that at some point he would need to expand the business in order to accommodate the growth the company had seen. When the building and land directly behind Bill Colwell Ford became available, Bill saw an opportunity and purchased what had previously been Kerry Ingredients. In 2012, the renovation process began. Once the new building was completed in July of 2013, the process of removing the previous dealership, which had been there since 1960, began. Finally, in October of 2013, the journey came to an end and the Grand Re-Opening of Bill Colwell Ford was held.
More recently, in order to accommodate the needs of their customers, Bill Colwell Ford expanded and opened the Cedar Valley Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center in July of 2016. The Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center provides a full range of services including oil changes and essential maintenance, tires, alignments, brakes and more for all makes and models. The Service Department at Bill Colwell Ford continues their regular hours to handle major repairs and warranty work. The Quick Lane offers no appointment necessary for customers, but customers still have the option to call or book an appointment online.
“The main reason we decided to open the Quick Lane is convenience for our customers. With extended hours, no appointment necessary, and a comprehensive vehicle inspection we’re able to accommodate our customers’ needs and keep providing the same great service we’ve been providing the last 33 years,” said Bill Colwell.
Bill Colwell Ford believes it is important to keep evolving as a company and stay up-to-date with their customer’s needs, but even with all the changes over the past 33 years there are a few things that have remained constant. In an age where people switch jobs or careers every couple years now, Bill Colwell Ford has three employees who have been here the entire 33 years they’ve been in business. These employees include, Kurt Kienitz, Assistant Service Manager; Joel Peterson, Automotive Technician; and Kim Johnson, Automotive Technician. And there are countless other employees who have been there 20+ years.
“I believe one of the main reasons Bill Colwell Ford has been successful all these years is because Bill treats his customers and employees with respect and fairness. He is an honest businessman who works hard,” said Kurt Kienitz.
With 33 years of hard work it’s no surprise that the dealership has won its fair share of awards. Bill Colwell Ford has won numerous customer satisfaction awards, including the prestigious President’s Award from Ford Motor Company three times. The award recognizes dealers for excellence in providing outstanding customer service and satisfaction. They have also been voted the Best of the Best multiples times in the Cedar Valley and they were the only dealership in the state of Iowa to be named a Top 150 Workplace by the Des Moines Register in 2016.
The dealership credits their success over the years to their outstanding employees. All departments are constantly being trained to stay up-to-date with the ever changing auto industry. As vehicle technology progresses, it requires increased levels of knowledge and skills for automotive technicians and the sales staff. More recently, one of their Service Technicians, Ross Anderson, completed the Senior Master Technician Program. To achieve this status Ross had to complete over 550 hours of Ford training. This is Ford Motor Company’s highest certification that a technician can achieve and Ross is one of only 428 technicians in the Chicago region to hold this status. This type of accomplishment demonstrates the commitment Bill Colwell Ford has to highly trained personnel.
“Our industry has changed drastically over the past 40 years and it’s extremely important to have employees that are up to date on their product knowledge, in both the sales and service departments. This type of commitment from our employees fulfills out customers’ expectations that they are receiving the highest level of customer satisfaction, and I couldn’t be more proud of our employees,” commented Bill Colwell.
Even with everything going on at Bill Colwell Ford they still are able to find time to give back to the community. Tomorrow Bill Colwell Ford will hold their 9th Annual Drive 4 UR School event for the Hudson Athletic Booster Club. As of 2016, Bill Colwell Ford has raised over $51,000 for the organization and that number keeps growing. The Booster Club is able to use that money for uniform and equipment replacement for the students. Bill Colwell Ford has also worked with other organizations including the Cedar Valley Hospice, March of Dimes, Give 2 the Troops, Beyond Pink TEAM, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, and most recently the Cedar Bend Humane Society.
“Being able to give back to those who have given us a chance to earn their business is what keeps our business going. The Cedar Valley is a great community and we’re happy to give back and be a part of it,” said Bill Colwell.
If you are in the market for a new, pre-owned, or Certified Pre-Owned vehicle feel free to give Bill Colwell Ford a call or visit their new website www.billcolwellford.com, which has thousands of pictures and information on their inventory. If you’re not in the market for a new vehicle, they also have an outstanding Service Department and brand new Quick Lane facility to help maintain your current vehicle. Of course, you can always stop by the dealership to get assistance with any automotive need, or just to say hi and enjoy a cup of coffee.
